Copy of Cyber Safety

Comments (0)

Transcript of Copy of Cyber Safety

Click anywhere & add an idea Positive “We believe in teaching our kids to be savvy, respectful and responsible media interpreters, creators, and communicators. We can’t cover their eyes but we can teach them to see.” Online DangersSexual predators, cyber bullies, cyber stalkers and identity thieves represent very real online dangers for children and adults of all ages. Consider the following facts: Shift Happens Because of the internet people can now:Find a mateEarn a degreeWorkFind family and friendsBuy anythingEtc. Every great thing has shortcomings •According to the Crimes Against Children Research Center, 22 percent of people targeted by online predators were children ages 10-13.•The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reports 25 percent of children say they've received unwanted sexual material while surfing the Internet.•In 2004, 57 percent of students told iSafe.org researchers they had been victims of cyber bullying.•A survey by eMarketer revealed that 75 percent of children saw nothing wrong with sharing personal information online about themselves or their family in exchange for goods and services.•The Identity Theft Resource Center reports that children are the newest targets for identity theft, since they can be easily persuaded to divulge personal information and the crime is unlikely to be discovered until the victim is much older. What Can Parents Do? When faced with alarming statistics about kids safety on the Internet,many parents wonder if the best course of action is to simply prohibitcomputer usage in the home. •Keep the computer in a central location. Don't allow your child to have a computer in his/her room. The kitchen or family room is a much better location, since you'll be more easily able to supervise Internet activity. •Install filtering or blocking software on your computer to protect your children from objectionable content. If you don't understand how the software works, ask a more-experienced friend for help. •Consider placing limits on Internet usage. You may decide that it's best to allow your child one hour of Internet access per day or to require that all chores are finished before surfing the Web. Choose rules that work for your family and make sure everyone who cares for your children on a regular basis knows your Internet policy. •Talk to your kids about how you use the Internet. Discussing the Internet's role in your life is a great way to start a dialogue about online safety. Internet Posting Once you post it in cyber space it's gone...